Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-24
L. SAM TANT,
The Most Original Man in Georgia
No More.

No More.
From the 4 tAens tGd.l Banner WatcAn,an.
The recent death OF Sam Tant in
Gainesville removes from life one Of the
most original men In Georgia.
He had the brush OF an artist which
ran into sign painting and house decorat-
ing. He was a skillful painter and de-
signer. Tant had also the temperament
OF an artist. He possessed the spirit OF
rowing and mad seen many sides OF life,
and was familiar with all phases of char
acter. He was authority on sporting
subjects. Music and minstrelsy had
especial charms for him. He appreciated
! genuine humor and was quick to expose
| quackery on the burnt cork boards. Base
bail amounted to passion. He caught
the slang OF the stage and field, and used
it In the most picturesque way. Language
was his forte. Words were welded and
new modelled under his tongue, and
although the effect was startling a times,
there was never any doubt as to his
| meaning.
He was an oddity. When he moved to
Augusta ne put out beautiful sign-"T.
Sam TanL Paintery."
The last word was a startler. His
friends asked him where he got bis au-
thority for "Paintery." he said it suited
ullu. n DdkCF D bJOIe WAS d DdhsTg, WHY
was not painters shop paintery? He
never changed his sign.
Tanrs shop was in the old opera house
arcade in Augusta. After the burning of
1888 he used to call himself 1.-THE Phoenix
OF the town." He survived fires and
financial wrecks and sailed ON unpur-
turbed.
He had lived everywhere and had en-
gagged in all sorts OF business. He was a
I cot ~ Al n n faI1
who would make friends and find listen
ers. During the cold spell in Athens he
had the crowd around the Commercial
! Hotel stove entertained all the time. He
was for awhile locomotive engineer on
the Alabama Great Southern railroad.
He said he could run an engine into the
Toundhouse as pretty as any man on the
road. One day be dropped the trucks OF
the L. Q. Z. Lamar over into the turn
table," and retired from the business.
Sam used to give an amusing account
of trip up the Mississippi river. He
was bound for Memphis. The steamer
ran aground, broke her rudder and the
captain announced that as the delay
would be long he would send the passen-
gers ashore or transfer them to another
boat.
1t was IN the summer" said Tant,
business was dull, and l was not in
hurry to get to Memphis anyway. l re-
| fused to be transferred, told him my
| ticket required him to put me down in
Memphis and | would remain on board
till he was ready to 20. | stayed two
weeks, had good fare free, enjoyed the
! river scenes without pay, and got in Men,
phis in due time"
Those who knew Tant do not doubt that
he was popular part of the boat before
| the trip was ended.
At one time be started a system of
| Turkish baths in Augusta that were very
! popular. Again ne worked an enterprise
to bring down Chicago meats on ice and
| ran q refrigerator car on the way freight
UP and down the Georgia railroad. IL
carried the best meats and vegetables,
melons, ice, beer, etc. 1t was equal to
| three or four good market stalls, aud its
passing was q big treat 10 the people
along the line who seldom failed to draw
upon the store. Tant would deal out the
viands with liberal hand. Whenever
a thirsty or a lonely fellow would
ask him, he would take him into
his car, give him something to eat and
(. ride him thirty or forty miles. Tant used
| to call all good fellows "thoToughbreds."
| He believed, to use his own words,
| in excepting up with the bell cow and gal
Looping with the gang" He liked to talk
with the prominent men. Gen. f. p. Al
eXander WAS a great favorite with him
/
man he ever met. He did not think much
of our modern statesmen. lie said there
were bright Bohemians in Washington
who wrote speeches for Congress
men and who "would put language in
them that would send Daniel Webster to
bed"
Describing meeting with Mr.. George
|. Seney once, Tant said he felt like he
was "pitching TO the third hitter OF the
| world"
Had he stuck closely to house and 81 gn
painting he wGdld Lave made his fortune,
for ne was thoroughly up In everything
relating to what be was fond of calling
''the profession" He used to say that he
had prolonged the lives OF several wealthy
| octogenarians in Augusta by persuadinH
| them TO let MIN paint their houses. His
| brush would furnish 'change OF scene"
he declared. and was equal 10 trip
| abroad.
| Tant had several contracts In Athens,
| which he was TO have executed tins
| spring upon some of our tiue Cobbham
residences. He was also getting up a
| beautiful sign for the Banner-Watchmau
| office.
Painters frequently have a bad poison
! which attacks them in some insidious
| way, breaking down the stomach or eat
| ing up the lungs. Possibly Sam Tant
| suffered from such a complication. lie
came to Athens this winter TO settle, but
WAS called away TO Greensboro 10 do some
work there. He took cold during the
blizzard hero and went to Columbia
county to recuperate. lie looked pale
and badly when he returned, and last
week bad setback ana concluded 10
try few days In Gainesville.
News OF bis death was received with
regret where he was just on the point
OF starting business. aud where IL was be-
leypd nc would do we'll.
wuES Virginia mOuntaiHeer wants
chew Of tobacco this laccOrdiAg 10 one who
has been thcrel Is tao way ne asks for a:
Sc ptrar frlff Il a. tx gsnF Huf